December 15th.
Three days ago we sailed for Cape Upstart on our return to the southward, working down the coast against a strong tradewind, the Asp keeping in shore to survey the neighbourhood of the coastline, imperfectly and erroneously laid down upon the Admiralty chart. We had calms and light winds with thick rainy weather in the morning. While in Whitsunday Passage, a small bark canoe with two natives came off to within a quarter of a mile of the ship, shouting loudly and making gestures to attract attention, but we did not stop; in fact, every moment now was precious, as we were upon reduced allowance of water. Soon after noon we anchored in Port Molle, and next day the Asp was stripped and hoisted inboard.
December 21st.
Since we left Port Molle, the winds have been variable from the northward and eastward, with calms, and the weather quite unsettled with occasional rain. While nearly becalmed, several opportunities were afforded for dredging from the ship, and many new and curious marine animals were procured.
KEPPEL'S ISLE.
Today we had the wind from East-South-East, gradually freshening to a moderate gale with the sea getting up, and in the evening it was judged expedient to bear up and run for an anchorage under the largest Keppel's Isle, where we brought up in five and a half fathoms, sand. A line of breaking water a quarter of a mile to leeward, was afterwards found to be caused by a dangerous reef not indicated upon the chart, where, instead, an anchorage was marked, a circumstance which might have led to serious results, had we run in during the night.
Keppel's Isle is from ten to twelve miles in circumference--it is distant from the mainland six miles. That portion of it seen from our anchorage presented rather a pleasant appearance; some fine verdant grassy-looking places were, however, found on closer inspection to be poor stony or sandy ground, thinly covered with tufts of coarse grass. Behind a long sandy beach abreast of the ship, an extensive hollow apparently running back for two or three miles, flanked by low wooded hills, was found to be a mangrove swamp traversed by several branches of a saltwater creek, by which the flood-tide gains admittance. Here I found numbers of a singular fish of the genus Chironectes leaping with great activity over the mud among the arched roots of the mangroves, among which small crabs (Ocypoda and Macrophthalmus) were making for their burrows in all directions. Fresh water appeared scarce--I came upon one small well, and beside it a large shell for the purpose of drinking from. I followed the recent tracks of two natives, but they concealed themselves among the mangroves, with their usual caution, although armed with spears, as I could see by the marks left during their hurried flight, and they knew that I was alone. A small group of women and children were afterwards met with by a shooting party from the ship, but they ran off affrighted, leaving behind their baskets, which were filled with a small blue gregarious crab, common upon the sandy beaches.
After leaving our anchorage under Keppel's Island, we continued working to the southward against a strong South-East wind. On the 24th while standing in for the land, about 11 P.M., the ship was suddenly found to be within a cable's length of the rocks off the North-East end of Facing Island, on which we were fortunate in not having to spend our Christmas. Next day a water-snake (Hypotrophis jukesii) four feet two inches long was caught when we were several miles off the land; it had accidentally been hooked by the tail by someone fishing for albacore, several of which fine fish were taken hereabouts. We rounded Breaksea Spit on December 29th, and two days afterwards arrived at Moreton Bay, were we found the Bramble.
During our stay at Yule's Roads, we had much gloomy blowing weather, with drizzly rain, and a heavy gale from North-East to North-North-East.
ARRIVE AT SYDNEY.